Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 23 - Nová Polianka, Slovakia (now in the Outdoor Museum in Svidník)

On a hill above the town of Svidník in north-eastern Slovakia lies the Ukrainian and Rusyn Village Museum, a collection of farm buildings, windmills and other historical wooden structures gathered from the surrounding region. The highlight of the museum is the Greek-Catholic wooden church originally from the small village of Nová Polianka, a few kilometres south of Svidník.

The church was built in Nová Polianka by local craftsmen around 1766 (some sources suggest as early as 1763) and was dedicated to Saint Paraskeva. During World War II the church and the village were badly damaged, and a newer brick church built in the 1930's became the main place of worship for the villagers.

The wooden church continued to be used for services until 1960, but in 1961 its condition had deteriorated enough that it was torn down. In the 1980's plans were made to found the Ukrainian and Rusyn Village Museum in Svidník, and it was decided that the church from Nová Polianka should be fully reconstructed for the museum based on the original architectural plans.

Eighteenth-century icons and interior fittings were collected from several different Greek-Catholic churches in the region and used to decorate the interior of the rebuilt structure. The church was opened as a part of the Village Museum in 1986, and since 1993 occasional Greek-Catholic masses and other religious services have been held there.

Built from pine wood, the church has a three-section floor plan in the typical Lemko style, with three accompanying steeples and beautifully decorative wrought-iron crosses above. The steeples and crosses are arranged in height with the highest above the entrance room, the middle one above the nave, and the lowest one above the sanctuary.

The wooden walls of the interior of the original church in Nová Polianka were covered in paintings of scenes from the Bible, but these were not recreated for the church in the museum. The iconostasis dates from the early 18th century and came from a church in a nearby village. There is a royal door at the centre of the iconostasis but the deacon doors for the two side entrances into the sanctuary are missing.

Standing next to the church is a wooden bell tower with a pyramidal shingled roof and an onion-shaped steeple topped with a cross. Two bells have been installed in the tower and are rung on special occasions. surrounding the church and bell tower is a low wooden fence with a shingled top in the Rusyn style which is typical of this region of the Carpathians.

The Village Museum in Svidník is open daily except Mondays from the beginning of May until the end of October. A Rusyn-Ukrainian folk festival is held in the village museum every year in June, attracting thousands of visitors to the event. Svidník is not connected to the railway network, so the most convenient way to get there by public transport is by bus from Prešov, Košice or Bardejov. Regular buses also run north from Svidník to the border with Poland at the Dukla Pass, where it is possible to catch a bus on the Polish side to the town of Krosno.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 18 - Nižný Komárnik, Slovakia

This beautiful church stands at the top of a tall hill overlooking the village of Nižný Komárnik, just a few kilometres from the Polish border in north-east Slovakia. Dedicated to the Protection of the Mother of God, the structure has a unique design among churches in Slovakia, since it is the only one in the country which is of the 'Boyko' style of design, more commonly seen further east in Ukrainian Galicia. The Boyko style typically has three domed towers with the highest tower placed in the centre above the nave, distinguishing it from the 'Lemko' style commonly seen in this region where the highest tower is placed above the entrance area.

Another unique aspect to this church is that its designer is well-known, the Ukrainian architect and explorer Vladimír Sičynský. All other wooden churches in Slovakia were constructed by local builders whose names have been lost to history due to the lack of official records. Sičynský oversaw the construction of the church in 1938, meaning the temple is much younger than most others in the surrounding region. The new church replaced an older baroque wooden church which was pulled down after the modern one was completed.

Another interesting feature of this temple is that it has two entrances, one on the south side leading into the sanctuary and one of the western side. The interior of the church is lit by high windows in both the sanctuary and the nave.

The iconostasis dates from the early 19th century, and it is thought that some of the icons come from the original iconostasis of the first wooden church in the village from the start of the 18th century. The iconostasis has an unusual three-row style since it was not designed for this church and had to be modified by placing the apostles and prophets higher up in the dome. To the north of the church is a large wooden bell tower with a domed roof. The bell tower was partially restored in 2003.

This is one of the most atmospheric churches in the region due to its magnificent hilltop setting above the village. Looking across the valley from the hill you can see a Russian Red Army World War Two aircraft, preserved as a monument to the intense battle for the Dukla pass which took place just north of here. The village is on the main road from Svidník to the Polish border, so buses run to the village quite frequently from Svidník. The key for the church is kept by the family who live in the house directly below the church at the beginning of the path that climbs the hill.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 12 - Korejovce, Slovakia

This small church dedicated to the Protection of the Mother of God sits on a hill in the centre of the village of Korejovce in north-eastern Slovakia. It was originally built in 1764, though today only some parts of the structure and the interior are still original.

The church has a typical Greek-Catholic style of a tower and two tent roofs rising above a three-room floor plan. The tent roof over the nave and the gabled roof over the sanctuary are topped by shingled onion domes with wrought iron crosses. The highest cross is placed above the entrance door, which must face west according to tradition. The roof is covered with intricate hand-made wooden shingles. In the interior the 18th-century iconostasis is only partly original, but the remaining section has been beautifully restored.

In front of the church near the road is a separate wooden bell tower with a shingle roof. It contains three bells which were cast in 1769, 1771 and 1835, and the bells are decorated with images of the Holy Family, a cross and a pattern of oak leaves. Since 1968 the church has been a protected national cultural monument. The church and bell tower both underwent major repairs in 2002, and new wooden shingles and siding were added in 2008.

The keys to the church are kept by a family who live in a house across the road and a few doors down. They are willing to open the church to let visitors see the interior but they will expect you to leave a donation (about 2 Euros is enough).

Many local buses from the nearby town of Svidník stop in the village of Hunkovce on the main road to the Polish border, and from there it is a walk of about 2 kilometres north on a small sideroad to reach the church in Korejovce.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 11 - Potoky, Slovakia

The tiny village of Potoky, near the town of Svidník in the north-eastern part of Slovakia, contains a beautiful example of the Lemko-Rusyn style of architecture. The church, dedicated to Saint Paraskieva, was originally constructed in 1773. A large bell tower was built in front of the church at a later date, and it contains a bell cast in 1839.

The most unique feature of the church is the height of the three narrow steeples, since they are significantly taller than those found on most of the other wooden churches in this region. In keeping with Rusyn building customs, the tallest steeple and the front entrance face towards the west. Unfortunately the original interior of the church, including the wall paintings, icons and the iconostasis, have not survived to the present day. A modern replacement of the iconostasis was added during restoration work conducted in 2010, but the appearance is thoroughly modern and lacks the traditional appearance of Greek-Catholic church interiors.

The exterior wooden shingles and wall panels were also restored in the summer of 2010, with the finished wood being treated with a preserving coat of brown varnish. This remains a controversial point among conservationists who feel that the churches of the region should be restored and left in their traditionally intended form with untreated wood. The original plans for the church site included a low stone wall that surrounded the church and the bell tower, and this feature was also restored during the renovations of 2010.

An electronic device was added to the bell tower which automatically rings the bell twice daily without the need for human involvement. Potoky is off the main road between Svidník and Stropkov, making it rather difficult to reach by public transport directly. A few buses from Svidník head to the village daily, with fewer operating on Saturdays and Sundays. Many more buses follow the Svidník to Stropkov main road, and it is possible to take one of these buses and ask to be dropped off at the turnoff towards Potoky and then walk the remaining two kilometres in along the road to reach the church.

To see the interior of the church you will need to find the key keeper in the village. The family which has it lives in a house on the same side of the road as the church, three houses further along the road from the church when you are coming from the beginning of the village.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains # 9 - Šemetkovce, Slovakia

This pretty little church is found on a small wooded hill above the village of Šemetkovce in the Svidník region of eastern Slovakia. It is a Greek-Catholic church named for St. Michael the Archangel, and dates from the year 1752. Like most wooden churches in the region, the structure was built without the use of metal nails using an ingenious woodcut pattern with wooden pegs inserted at the end of each log to hold the beams in place.

Another typical feature of Greek-Catholic churches which is found in the Šemetkovce church is the emphasis placed on the number three, symbolising the Holy Trinity. Three domes, three crosses, three rooms in the interior and three doors leading below the iconostasis are all typical features. The three domes rise in height from east to west, with the doorway facing west, also a typical feature of Greek-Catholic design. The iconostasis is of baroque style, designed in the late 18th century, while some of the icons date from the 17th century.

The church was badly damaged in World War Two, and extensive reconstruction work was undertaken in 1969 and 1970, and further renovations were necessary in 2001. Standing next to the church there is a tall wooden belfry with bells that are rung daily. The church and belfry were originally surrounded by a log fence, though today there is a more modern metal fence. The village of Šemetkovce is set in lovely hilly scenery and has a few old-fashioned folk cottages along its laneways.

The village can be reached by bus from Svidník just a few times a day from Monday to Friday, and there are no buses on Saturday or Sunday. Another option if you are without your own vehicle is to take the bus from Svidník to Ladomirová (be sure to stop and see the wooden church in that village as well) and then try to hitch-hike the last seven kilometres to Šemetkovce. That's how I did it when I visited, there were no problems getting a lift from some of the locals since the roads are small and everybody knows everybody else in this region. There are hiking trails which connect together many of the villages with wooden churches in the Svidník region, and it is possible to hike from Šemetkovce across to Kožuchovce village, close to Miroľa village with its wonderful wooden church.

Remarkable Relics of Communism #4 - Russian Tanks and WW2 Monuments of the Dukla Pass, Slovakia

The fight for the Dukla pass on the border between Slovakia and Poland was a major battle of the Eastern Front in the Second World War. German resistance was stonger than anticipated, and the advance of the Russian and Czechoslovak forces was held up for many months with over 70,000 casualties on both sides.

Following the end of the war and the establishment of a communist government in Czechoslovakia in 1948, it was decided that the liberation of the country by the Red Army should be commemorated with the greatest possible fanfare. Cities and towns across the country erected statues and monuments to the Russian liberators, usually inscribed with the date that the settlement was freed from German forces. The Dukla pass was particularly important as the spearhead of the advance into Czechoslovak territory, and hence an enormous monument was erected there to honour the bravery of both Russian and Czechoslovak troops. A valley near the pass which saw intense fighting during the conflict became known as the "valley of death", and many abandoned military vehicles and tanks remained there following the battle.

Many Russian tanks in the valley were restored to their original condition and then returned to the position where they had been found in the valley, some sitting frozen in the middle of advancing through a farmer's cornfield, others appearing to emerge from the forest to press the German defenses. Around a dozen Russian tanks remain spread through the fields and forests in the region today as memorials to the Russian liberators. At the peak of the Dukla pass on the Slovak-Polish border sits a lookout tower intended to allow visitors to view the full extent of the battlefield area.

The nearby town of Svidník was almost totally destroyed in the battle, and today another large war memorial to the Soviet troops is a dominant feature of the town's layout. The Dukla pass is easily reached by one of several daily buses to and from Svidník; Svidník is most easily reached by bus connection from Prešov or Bardejov. In Svidník, the Hotel Rubin is an inexpensive and reasonably comfortable place to stay.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains #4 - Miroľa, Slovakia

This wooden church is set in some of the most beautiful hilly countryside in eastern Slovakia. It sits on a slope above the village in front of a small cemetery and is visible from throughout the forested valley that surrounds the settlement. The present church was constructed in 1770, but it is thought that an earlier wooden church had stood in the same location in the village since the end of the 17th century. Dedicated to the Protector the Mother of God, the church is a typical three-part Lemko structure with three cupolas rising in height with the highest above the front entrance. Western design influences are apparent in the baroque style of the separate rooftops.

Life has not been easy for the local Rusyn residents, and many of them were forced to emigrate at the end of the 19th century to escape the poverty and poor living conditions of the time. During World War II many homes in the village were destroyed in the fighting for control of the nearby Dukla pass and the church was also badly damaged.

The interior of the church contains side icons in the Russian-byzantine style, while the iconostasis features some unusual images of the lives of peasants dressed in traditional costume placed in among the usual New Testament scenes. The entire iconostasis was restored in the 1970's by local experts.

The key for the church is kept by the family who live across the road, they are happy to open the temple for visitors and can give a demonstration of ringing the bell. It is expected that visitors will leave a donation of one or two Euros in front of one of the icons. The village is serviced only infrequently by bus, so walking in from the main Svidnik-Dukla road is a good option, as blue-marked forest hiking trails connect the villages which contain wooden churches together in a circular route. Bodružal, Príkra, Miroľa and Krajné Čierno can all be visited on an enjoyable day hike.

Wooden Churches of the Carpathian Mountains #1 - Ladomirová, Slovakia

I have a particular interest in the wooden folk architecture of the Carpathian mountains, especially the Rusyn wooden churches found in Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine, and Romania. Each of these churches is architecturally unique, and distinct regional styles can vary enormously, from the three-steepled Lemko and Boyko churches of the northern part of the range in Poland and Slovakia, to the tall shingled steeples of Maramures region in Romania. I've visited almost 40 of these churches, including some from all four countries.

I will put up photos and a description of some of the most unique ones, so I'm starting today with the church in the village of Ladomirová, Slovakia, which is pictured here. The Greek Orthodox Ladomirová church is a typical example of the Lemko style, with the three steeples arranged from highest to lowest with the highest closest to the door. The church was built in 1742, and endured significant damage during World War 2, as the nearby Dukla Pass was the scene of heavy fighting. Russian soldiers reportedly slept on the floor of the church during the conflict, and were given food by the local villagers. The key to the church is available from the family who live in the house immediately in front of the church; I was given a tour by a wonderful old woman who was full of stories and memories of the village as it changed through the course of the 20th century (This conversation was in Slovak, having someone with you who can translate her stories would add much to the experience). The iconostasis wall inside the church has many of the usual hallmarks of Lemko churches, including an image of the Last Supper beneath the image of Christ the Pantocrator. The village of Ladomirová is located 6 kilometres north of the town of Svidník, and there are several buses a day that run to the village from Svidník.